Death Row Inmate

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Which punishment is crueler, life in prison or the death penalty? This is an issue that many politicians and the average individual debate regularly. The death penalty is the more controversial of the two because the end result is the death of an individual; to many, no one deserves that even when considering their crimes, but to others those individuals got what they “deserved”. Robert Glen Jones Jr., a Caucasian male at the age of 43, was executed about a month ago on October 23, 2013 after being convicted on six counts of first–degree murder, which resulted in the death of seven individuals. Jones is one of 36 inmates in Arizona to have been executed sine 1992, but also another interesting piece to the provocative death penalty subject (Kiefer).
Mr. Jones Jr. committed three crimes, which eventually led to his death earlier this year. It was in the late afternoon on May 30, 1996 when Jones and one of his accomplices, Scott Nordstrom, entered a Tucson, Arizona Smoke Shop. One witness described Jones as having red hair, and was also claimed to have been wearing cowboy boots (Kiefer). Immediately after entering the smoke shop, Jones shot Chip O’Dell right between the eyes (Kiefer). Jones and Nordstrom continued to shoot and then Jones chased an employee, Tom Hardman, into the back room, where Jones shot him to death (Kiefer). In the aftermath, a third employee was shot and wounded, while two others were able to escape safely and unharmed.
The smoke shop wasn’t the tandems only charade. Jones and Nordstrom waited only two weeks to kill again. June 13, 1996 was a scary night for four individuals at the Fire Fighters Union Hall, which is also located in Tucson. Carol Noel, one of four victims that night, was not only shot twice, b...

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...orks Cited

1. Halperin, Rick. "Death Penalty News: Arizona executes Robert Jones Jr.." The Associated Press, 2013. Web. 24 Nov 2013. .

2. Jerreat, Jessica. "Violent robber who killed six victims in Arizona in 1996 is executed." Mail Online, 2013. Web. 24 Nov 2013. .

3. Kiefer, Michael. "Man who killed 7 in Arizona put to death." Usatoday.com, 2013. Web. 24 Nov 2013. .

4. The Associated Press. "Ariz. inmate asks Supreme Court to block execution." KTVK azfamily.com, 2013. Web. 24 Nov 2013. .

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